London Underground Tube strike affects millions of passengers

The London Underground workers strike currently affects millions of passengers of the Tube network.

Services on all but the Northern Line were suspended or delayed for most of the rush hour. Many stations are now closed.

There are no trains running on the Circle Line and the Bakerloo, District, Central, Piccadilly, Hammersmith and City, Jubilee and Metropolitan lines are partly suspended.

According to the report, at around 5pm BST on Monday, 800 maintenance staff walked out while drivers and station staff stopped their work at 9pm.

The Rail Maritime and Transport (RMT) and the Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association (TSSA) unions are reportedly fighting plans to cut ticket office staffing levels, and claims that security could be compromised for passengers.

The strike, with reportedly three more to come next month and November, is a joint action by 11,000 Tube staff belonging to the RMT and TSSA unions in protest over plans to terminate 800 ticket offices and station managerial jobs.

Secretary General of the RMT union Bob Crow apologized to commuters but warned that more strikes could be on the way, as he stands on the picket line at King’s Cross station.

With this, extra 100 buses and 10,000 more passengers travel using Thames riverboat services have been laid on.

Some taxi ranks will be lined up and escorted bike rides will be operating.

Mike Brown, of London Underground (LU), said: “We are doing everything possible to keep as many Tube services operating today, and to keep Londoners moving. “The city is not paralyzed and people will still be able to get around.”

Meanwhile, London Mayor Boris Johnson rode on a bicycle on to the Stock Exchange in the City to speak at the opening session of the Capital Markets Climate Initiative.

Mr Johnson said new staffing proposals for the Underground were “moderate and sensible” and accused the unions of “cynically deciding to try the patience” of commuters.

The 24-hour strike brought a lot of trouble during the rush hour and warned the London government will cost a lost of £50 million.